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This week we’re talking about TV shows that take place on worlds other than Earth or on an Earth that’s radically different from our own. This includes sword and sorcery stories like Xena and high fantasy stories like Game of Thrones. Ari returns for a … read more »
Guest host Ari joins us once again for the second half of our talk on long series. With such a big topic, even fitting it into a two parter was hard. This week we discuss that bogeyman of long narratives: series bloat. What is it? … read more »
Chris, Mike, and Oren discuss the ups and downs of using history in worldbuilding. They question whether historical realism is a worthwhile goal, cover the pitfalls of using the history of other cultures, and critique settings derived from real places and events. But mostly, they … read more »
Mike, Chris, and Oren offer tips for depicting factions in stories. They describe how competing groups manifest in real life and list their favorite factions from Star Wars, Star Trek, Hunger Games, and Game of Thrones. Then they debate which Hogwarts houses they’re in. Read more »
Unless you’re in a roleplaying game, it’s unlikely that all of your characters will have the same level of capability, yet it’s easy to focus on characters who kick the most butt. Unfortunately, the most powerful characters aren’t always the best characters. So what’s a … read more »
Factions add depth to organizations. They create internal conflicts that leaders must confront while facing external threats. They also highlight diversity that will make your world feel real and lived-in. Societies aren’t planets of hats, and great institutions aren’t monolithic. Read more »
Some storytellers really like their worlds. You’ll know them when you find them: their stories feel like a transparent excuse to use the maps they created. That’s because they’re committing these storytelling sins. Read more »
Throughout your story, your audience will cheer for your hero as she struggles against the villains. There will be many losses and gains, until it’s time for the final battle. You know your audience will leave satisfied if your hero knocks the bad guy out of the park. But what if you want her to fail? Read more »
Chris, Oren, and Mike discuss the great dilemma of whether or not to kill a character. They describe the storytelling problems created by this dilemma, and question the difference between good character deaths and bad ones. Read more »